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Stowe, Stowe, Stowe we go ... gently up the hill ... and then downhill
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The reception area at Stowe Mountain Lodge
Who says you can’t go to Stowe during “mud season?”
Whether you want to experience sanctuary at the Wellness Center and Mario Russo Spa, or enjoy a five-star dining experience at Solstice – or just take in the 2,000 acres of natural beauty that surround the Spruce Peak Mountain, Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont is a great place to visit any time of the year.
From Boston, it’s about a four-hour drive, and it’s a beautiful scenic drive – and during mud season, it’s a quiet area – no skiers, golfers or fly fishers, the crowd that dominates the area in the peak winter and summer seasons. If you’re like me -- living the fast-paced life of multi-tasking 24/7 – it’s the perfect time to go to Stowe. And … the best part … it’s pet-friendly. Yes, you can bring Fido.
First stop: the Hourglass Bar, up the stairs of the newly opened (June 2008), majestic lobby of Stowe Mountain Lodge, where my travel companion Frank and I entered into a picturesque view of woven timber and walls of natural stone, juxtaposed with cut-timber and vertical logs.
Hourglass bar, named for one of Stowe’s most venerated backcountry ski trails, serves seasonal cocktails, rare wines by the glass and regional microbrews, including the signature Hourglass Ale, specially-brewed for Stowe Mountain Lodge by Rock Art Brewery in nearby Morrisville, Vermont. The Hourglass lounge menu offers hot wings and the best flatbread pizza I’ve ever tasted.
Past the bar is Solstice, the farm-to-110-table restaurant run by Vermont-TV Celebrity Chef Sean Buchanan, where culinary enthusiasts can indulge in private cooking classes at “Solstice Cooking School.” Or simply enjoy dinner.
Chef Sean Buchanan, who created and is host of “Feast in the Making,” a television series dedicated to introducing viewers to the state’s meat, dairy and vegetable farmers, artisan cheesemakers and the chefs who support them says, “We want people who come to Stowe Mountain Lodge to not only leave with an appreciation for our world-class ski mountain, but to also leave with a true connection to all of the incredible artisan foods that Vermont has to offer. There is no better way to do this than to visit the farmers, learn how they grow their ingredients, and then bring it all together as part of a memorable culinary experience.”
We enjoyed a dinner beginning with Arugula salad with Champlain apples, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, shaved cheddar with roasted pear vinaigrette, and a serving of cheddar potato soup -- before delving into the delight of dry-aged Vermont beef tenderloins in a garlic sauce with mashed sweet potato and polenta (my personal request).
The menu depends on the local offerings, and in summer, dishes could include mushroom crepe with essence of corn and rosemary cream, fresh pasta with chard and summer peas, and to end on a sweet note: strawberry shortcake with lavender ice cream and lemon cake. For winter, look forward to truffled beef tartare with local mushroom aioli and shoestring mushroom fries on potato box-T, butternut squash and apple soup with leek custard and cinnamon crème fraiche, and goat cheese crepe with glazed apples and cranberry-ginger ice cream.
Whenever you’re ready, there’s the spa, opened in August 2008, a place for the worn and weary, and where you’ll find the Wellness Center. Stay for a week and create a custom program with the wellness staff to lose weight, get in shape, center yourself or whatever you need for better balance in your life. And before you leave, be sure to book a facial with Esthetician Karen Machia, who will work her magic to rejuvenate your skin with a 50-minute Naturopathic Pure Results facial. As is the trend in spa treatments, each individual is catered to with specific needs in mind.
According to Machia, “We shed our skin in accordance with our age.”
At 45, my skin would shed every 45 days, but with the rose geranium and suppressed seed of carrot serum, I can expedite the shedding process for skin that constantly glows. After 50 minutes of TLC, my skin actually does glow.
The “mane” attraction, however, is at the Mario Russo Salon. Russo is well-known for his upscale caring of certain celebrity tresses: Teri Hatcher, Jimmy Buffet, Stephen Baldwin, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and Natalie Portman, to name a few, when they’re in the area of his Newbury St. location in Boston.
At the end of summer 2008, Russo took the time to personally groom Hunter, a gorgeous African-American woman, to run his salon in Stowe. Hunter offers nail care, makeup and expert styling for tired tresses like mine – and she worked wonders for me with a haircut that works even two weeks later – and highlights that work for my skin tone. She’ll also be glad to offer guidance on proper products.
Products are key to the Lodge – and not only in the salon and spa. In the 139 eco-conscious rooms at the Lodge – most private owned -- Mario Russo personal care products are offered. Be sure to try the olive oil body shampoo while soaking in the tub, and after drying off with organic cotton towels – and before crawling under the bamboo bed linens, one of several environmental efforts of the Lodge. Relax with a good book before turning off the room lamps, custom-designed by glassblower/pottery maker Simon Pearce, who uses a waterfall to generate electricity and to operate a potter’s wheel.
Need anything else?
Before you go, contact the Alpine Concierge, a team that will create personal profiles which track the preferences of each and every guest, allowing them to create an exceptional service experience. Guests are contacted prior to their arrival and offered assistance with travel plans, itineraries and other special needs, so that once they arrive, their rooms are set-up exactly as they wish, refrigerators are stocked with favorite treats, special amenities are in-place, and all dining and activity reservations are set.
Stowe Mountain Lodge may offer great skiing and golfing alike, but it’s not all about the sports.
Look forward to:
- An ice skating rink will be open next winter
- In three years, more privately owned mountain cabins will be ready, offering 3,000 square feet of space in each cabin.
- A performing arts center is in the works for 2012
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